This is the third and last of my series about Apple Final Cut Pro X and Camera Media. Check out the first part and the second part for some tips and tricks you might not know yet.
A Possible Logging Workflow – Without Doubling Your Storage Needs
Recently I had a back-and-forth with someone on Facebook who was handed a couple hundred gigabytes of camera-cards backed up to one or more hard drives. He wanted to use Final Cut Pro X to log and keyword the footage.
If he would ingest the material into Final Cut Pro X, his storage needs would have beed doubled.
Remember: when ingesting from cards, Final Cut Pro X copies the footage from the cards, and “Leave Media in Place” cannot be ticked in the import window.
He was not sure if the material would ever be edited, but he wanted to get an idea of what he’d got.
I put some thought to the problem and came up with a neat workflow to accomplish something like that and came up with this:
Press command+I to open the import window. Select a folder containing a backed-up copy of a camera card.
Select “Import all” to start the import process. (Alternatively just select the clips you want to import). Close the ingest-window (if you don’t have the option Close window after starting import ticked).
Head over to the Background Tasks window by pressing command+9, look for Importing Media and click the little “x” next to it to stop the import.
Rinse and repeat until you have imported all your media in that way.
Because the way Final Cut Pro X works it has created aliases linking to the media on the card in its storage location. By interrupting the copy process, Final Cut Pro X still refers to the videos in their original location. Now you can organise the media inside Final Cut Pro X using all its tools.
Because no media is inside Final Cut Pro X‘s storage location or Library it will be extremely small and can later be easily be backed up alongside the footage for editing at a later date.
NOTE: You can’t transcode footage to Proxy or Optimised Media while its still on camera cards.
If you want to do that you need to physically import the footage into Final Cut Pro X first (doubling the storage needs temporarily) , then let it transcode to Proxy and/or Optimised Media.
Now close Final Cut Pro X, right- or control-click the library file and select “Show package contents”. You can now peek inside the library-bundle. You will see a folder for every Event in your FinalCutProX library.
Final Cut Pro X Library bundle and contents
Navigate to the one containing the media you are after and look for a Original Media folder inside it. You can delete this folder. (Thus deleting all the media FinalCutProX copied off the cards.) When you open up the library you can still work in Proxy mode, if you have transcoded Proxies before or even in normal-mode, if you have transcoded to Optimised Media.
NOTE: Opening a library-bundle with the finder and playing around inside may damage it and render it unusable! Try at your own risk!
Later, when you want to re-link the missing media, open the Library inside Final Cut Pro X. Connect the HDD containing the camera-card-folders to the computer and choose File > Import > Reimport from Camera/Archive.
In my experience, I had to select the clips I wanted to reimport in the browser first, before selecting the function in the menu.
I also had to open the “Import Media” window and open the disclosure triangle of the folder I wanted to import from first, to make sure that Final Cut Pro X “sees” the camera card structure. But that might be different depending the video format you are using and whether you originally imported from a physical card or a Camera Archive.
The media will now be copied/rewrapped to the Libraries’ storage location.
Not only does this solve the user’s problem with wanting a way to organise and keyword footage without permanently doubling the storage needs, but one could also take a version of the library with just Proxy files in it on their MacBookPro and later re-import and “conform” to the original camera media.
Final Thoughts – Archive Copies of Original Cards?
As you can see there are many ways to work with camera cards inside Final Cut Pro X. I’m sure that I did not cover everything possible in this tutorial.
It might surprise you however when I tell you that I usually do not archive copies of the original camera cards. On location or at the end of the day in the hotel or at my studio I ingest all the footage into a Final Cut Pro X Library on a Thunderbolt RAID5 and back it up to two additional HDDs for safety, before I start editing.
If it’s a multi-day-shoot away from home, I tend to back up the camera cards with ShotPutPro to a mobile RAID and ingest all the cards from that mobile drive to the Thunderbolt RAID5 and the pair of HDDs on return to the studio.
Shot Put Pro – offloading software
I like to have Final Cut Pro X manage my media inside the Library bundle as opposed to the lean library-approach some FinalCutProX editors prefer. It’s much more convenient to have everything neatly in one file, especially since Final Cut Pro X also bundles used effects inside the library since the 10.3.0 update.
As I have described before there is no quality loss in having Final Cut Pro X rewrap the media from its original container format to .mov files. Even in the event that you change your editing system in the future you can still easily extract the footage from the bundle and work in other NLEs.
TIP: Some people are afraid to “put all eggs in one basket” with a Managed Library file. They think that if that file gets corrupted they might loose everything. But because a macOS bundle is only a special folder that is displayed differently by the OS it’s no more dangerous than putting files into any other folder on your Mac. By the way: This special typ of folder is the reason why you can’t have your FCPX library reside on a AFP or SMB share on a server or NAS — the filesystem does not support bundles. NFS shares can work under certain circumstances though.
**EDIT** Final Cut Pro X libraries can live on SMB shares since FinalCutProX 10.3.4 apparently. Thanks to Claus Andersen for mentioning that!
Accessing “Original Media” Files in a Corrupted (or any) FCPX Library
Even if Final Cut Pro X should somehow damage the XML files inside the bundle and won’t open the Library, stating it’s “corrupted”— do not despair! You can always get to your original media by right- or control-clicking the library file and selecting “Show package contents”.
Use “Show Package Contents” to open macOS bundles and peek inside.
You can now peek inside the library bundle. You will see a folder for every event in your FinalCutProX library. Navigate to the one containing the media you are looking for and look for an “Original Media” folder—inside it you will find your original media files. A working backup of the corrupted library-file (without the media) can be found at the default backup location or the one you specified.
Conclusion
I tried to compile all the information I could find regarding working with cards in Final Cut Pro Xl in this three-part article. Some of the stuff I found was a real nugget of information that made me faster and more efficient, when working in Final Cut Pro X. I hope that you can also find a thing or two that you did not know.
If you yourself have found something useful or interesting while working with Final Cut Pro X, please share it in the comments below. Also let us know wether you are interested in more tutorials like this.

When it comes to organizing your footage, including transcoding, logging, reviewing and tagging, Kyno is hands-down one of the best options out there. Lesspain Software just released Kyno 1.5 with new features and a brand new addition to their lineup: Kyno Premium.
So now we are dealing with not one but two new versions of Kyno. A Standard and a Premium one. While Kyno 1.5 Standard packs quite a bunch of new features in comparison to the former 1.4 version, the all-new Premium sibbling is clearly aimed at higher-end production studios. Those usually handle things with larger teams and more flexibility is needed for their specific workflows.
Kyno 1.5 – Standard and Premium Editions
Since a picture is worth a thousend words, let’s have a quick look at what Lesspain Software has in store with their latest version of Kyno:
Major new features for this version include the ability of tweaking the timestamp after the footage has been recorded. This can help you organizing your footage for a smooth postproduction workflow. From time to time you just forget to set the clock correctly on your camera (or sound recorder) and therefore end up with messy timestamps. This neat feature tackles this problem since you can batch-correct all of your incoming clips while retaining the relative time differences between individual takes.
You now (finally) can drag & drop a bunch of clips with metadata over to Final Cut Pro X and Kyno 1.5 is also capable of playing back those MXF ProRes files created in FCPX. Furthermore, exports of XMLs for Final Cut have been upgraded to version 1.6 of the XML standard.
If you happen to be a Premiere Pro user, you can relax as you haven’t been forgotten, either: When sending matadata-enriched clips over to Premiere Kyno now can auto-create bins for you, even based on the existing file structure.
A new thumbnail column makes it easy for you to observe all the nerdy technical metadata while still be able to get a good visual overview on the clips themselves. Furthermore, transcoding presets can now be imported and exported so you can share these with friends and/or colleagues.
In terms of file support, Kyno 1.5 adds support for WebP images as well as RAW stills created with the Panasonic GH5s. IMX/D10 files are now supported, too. Also, you’ll find more filter options for metadata, improved batch naming comtrols, better audio channel selection and improved render quality in the player. All in all this is a solid but not groundbreaking update. But wait, there’s more!
Kyno Premium
Let’s do this like we did before and start with an overview video, shall we?
Kyno 1.5 Premium sports all the features of the Standard version, of course, but it doesn’t stop there. Kyno Premium packs additional features, aimed for larger teams and more complex workflows. For example, TV stations or large production companies have often set up complex workflows with several team members in order to handle a large number of projects very efficiently. Therefore Kyno Premium adds the ability of putting together packages of material (complete with metadata, of course) and send them downstream to colleagues next door or even abroad.
FTP/FTPS support is built in, other, more exotic (i.e. high-end) options like FileCatalyst or Aspera can be added, too. But this would require a bespoke solution which Lesspain Software offers as a custom package deployment (CPD) order. Predefined and customized orgization- or department-wide transcoding and/or naming presets can be added to that order, too. That way, large organizations can build their own perfectly suited version of Kyno Premium.
Metadata can now be pre-defined for incoming SD cards so all the metadata is there once the actual footage from the card gets imported. A handy feature for complex team workflows. The whole idea for Kyno 1.5 Premium is to cater for the needs of larger teams, so you tweak all aspects of Kynos metadata management, such as a shared cache location or the way matadata is stored which was entered by different Kyno users.
In terms of supported filetypes, Kyno 1.5 Premium adds the support for P2 camera structures, the creation of MXF files (in XDCam and DNxHD Codecs) and the ability to transcode to Avid’s DNx (HD, HQ & HR) family of codecs. Audio tracks and channels can be configured freely for easy and efficient (automatic or individual) channel mapping. This goes for batch operations, as well and even video denoise filters can be applied, if necessary.
Pricing and Availability
Kyno 1.5 Standard is 159€/$ and includes one year of free updates. Afte that one year you’ll have two options: Keep your version which will function uncomplainingly or pay another 79€/$ if you want to get the latest updates for another year.
Kyno 1.5 Premium is 349 €/$. There will be a discount for the next four weeks in order to let you guys try the new features for yourselfes at a reduced price.
I think this is a smart move by Lesspain Software since our line of work is pretty diverse and different shooters/editors/producers have very different needs and workflows when it comes to organizing, transcoding and tagging footage. All the features you’ll most likely need can be found in the Standard version of Kyno 1.5. But if you need more or need a custom version for your specific workflow, Kyno Premium is here for you. That way, Lesspain doesn’t have to raise the overall price and is still able to satisfy the needs of more demanding customers.
Links: Lesspain Software
What do you think of this business move by Lesspain Software? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The new year starts off with yet another update to Kyno. Lesspain Software’s take on easy footage reviewing, organisation, transcoding and labelling is now available for both Mac OS and Windows! Read on for all the features of Kyno 1.4.
If you’re in need of a robust on-set solution for organizing, reviewing and preparing your footage for a seamless downstream postproduction, Kyno 1.4 is definitely worth a closer look. Check out our coverage on version 1.3 if you’re new to Kyno.
New Features of Kyno 1.4
The biggest news in Kyno 1.4 is the support for Microsoft Windows machines! This much-needed feature had been in beta for quite some time, and Lesspain promises that the outcome is a rock-solid product. Together with the Mac OS version, Kyno 1.4 results in a fully cross-platform solution for everything that has to be done before post production.
Another big improvement is the support for LUTs. The software provides seamless integration of LUT handling in material preview, organization and transcoding. Quality control and the creation of dailies of otherwise flat looking LOG footage becomes a breeze.
With its attention to detail, Lesspain has further improved the overall experience with Kyno 1.4. A new “play all” function accelerates your workflow allowing selected clips to be viewed in sequence with just one click or keyboard shortcut. Kyno’s list view can now be customized to taste. A new feature called “combine clips” does exactly that – an easy-to-use, metadata-aware function that adds an array of new options for delivery workflows. You can combine a few shots, add a corresponding shot list and deliver all this as a neat package with its own tag straight to your NLE of choice.
LUT support in Kyno 1.4 (player & transcoder)
You can now add a timecode overlay to your transcodes, which can be useful when generating review copies. GoPro’s Cineform is now supported as yet another 10-bit codec to choose from. When exporting an XML file, you now can set the file paths to relative, making it super easy to deploy a self-contained package without the need to reconnect within your NLE.
New Pricing model
A regular license for Kyno is €159 and, beginning with Kyno 1.4, users with licenses older than a year will no longer receive any updates. This one is a double-edged sword. You have to purchase an update for your license if you want to get the latest releases. A year’s worth of updates is $79/€79, but Lesspain Software makes it clear that this is not a subscription. Your existing license won’t get voided and you can use your version of Kyno as long as you please. However, if you want to get updates, you’ll have to pay.
It should be obvious that a relatively small studio like Lesspain Software has to find the funds in order to keep working on relevant updates to its lineup of products. I think the solution they’ve come up with is reasonable. You don’t have to pay if you’re fine with your existing version of Kyno, but if some of the features appeal to you, you can still decide to fork over the cash. That way, Kyno can flourish with even more helpful future releases.
To ease the pain, Lesspain offers a 25% discount on the regualar pice as well as on the license update price. The sale will run until the end of January, and there is also a free 30-day trial available for download. You can even use it if you’ve tried it before, as all trials have been reset.
links: Lesspain Software
Is Kyno 1.4 something you’ve waited for? Let us now what you think in the comments below!

Some of DaVinci Resolve 12’s most powerful tools are hiding just below the surface. The Resolve Media Manager is one of them.
Blackmagic Design have pushed DaVinci Resolve way beyond just the world’s most loved color grading tool. It’s also becoming a very powerful NLE and a general workflow swiss army knife. Resolve is impossible to ignore and is finding its way to the core of more post production pipelines than ever before.
The numerous advantages to using Resolve as your go to NLE are largely thanks to a spectacular level of integration across toolsets and a fluidity that makes many other NLE’s seem positively clunky in comparison.
This integration however has not come at the cost of other NLE’s. Far from becoming insular and exclusive, Blackmagic Design have made sure Resolve 12 plays very well with just about every other software you might need to get the job done.
DaVinci Resolve Media Management
The Resolve Media Manager is one of a few tools you may not have noticed yet, but it streamlines moving media around, copying media, sharing media with other collaborators and transcoding media.
The most powerful thing about the Resolve Media Manager is it lets you choose exactly what media to copy, move or transcode and (depending on the codec) whether you want entire clips, or trimmed clips with or without handles.
You can choose all of the media in your media pool, only the media used in a particular timeline, or just clips you have selected.
To give a practical example, when I’m using my Macbook Pro Retina on the go, I keep the very fast internal flash drive free for “online” media, but often 512GB (minus OS and apps) is not enough to hold all of the source media someone might hand me on a much larger (typically USB 2) drive. So, I can conform the XML they have given me in Resolve pulling from all the source media on the slow USB drive, check the conform, and then use Media Management to copy only the source files used in the timeline to my internal flash storage.
Depending on the type of source files, I can go one step further and copy only trimmed clips. This gives me the smallest possible media storage footprint for the project, everything I need is then internal to the laptop on a drive that gives me over 1200MB/sec read and write, so for commercials or short form projects, I don’t have to think about hauling around or connecting external storage either.
Media Management Overview
Let’s take a quick look at how this works. Once you get into it, it’s really self explanatory and easy to use.
You can open the media management window under the “File” menu in either the Media Page or Edit Page. It will be greyed out in either the Color or Deliver page.
The first thing you’ll notice in the Media Management window are a few tabs across the top. These are labelled “Entire Project”, “Timelines” and “Clips”. This is where you choose whether you want to copy, move or transcode all of the media in your media pool, just the media used in a specific timeline, or clips you have selected from your media pool before opening the Media Management window. Below the top tabs, you’ll notice “Copy”, “Move” and “Transcode”, where you choose which operation you need.
It’s worth exploring all of the options to see exactly how much control you can have over the various operations.
A few things are common to all operations, you’ll always need to specify a destination, this will usually be a different volume, but it can be wherever you need it to be. You’ll always see three check boxes to indicate whether you want the desired operation to apply to all media, used media, or used media keeping “x” frame handles. When you are working with “Timelines” the first of these check boxes “all media” is greyed out as obviously, you’ve already chosen a subset of your media because your going to specify a timeline.
To specify a timeline, click the “>” where you see “x out of y currently selected” to reveal check boxes for the timelines in your project.
You will only be able to choose “Clips” if you have already selected some clips from your media pool before opening the Media Management window. Then you will see the three check boxes to further narrow your selection.
Right at the bottom you’ll see a indication of the current size of your chosen media, and the new size which will be used on your destination volume. This is especially useful when transcoding as you’ll get a good indication of how much space your transcoded media will require.
You’ll see “+ more options” which generally allows you to preserve folder hierarchy when copying, moving or transcoding and indicate if you want to relink to the copied, moved or transcoded files.
For the “Transcode” operation you’ll also see the self explanatory options to choose your format, codec, and other video and audio options.
A few important notes about these operations:
Copy – You’ll be copying the chosen media to a chosen destination, leaving the original media intact.
Move – Your original source media will be deleted! If you want to keep your source media intact, rather choose to Copy, not Move.
Trimming – creating trimmed media files works for all non-temporally compressed and uncompressed formats that Resolve has the ability to encode. For example, Resolve cannot create trimmed H.264 based media files, so it will instead copy, trim or transcode the entire clip.
One other thing to keep in mind when you are trimming used media, and you have used multiple instances of a particular source clip, Resolve will create multiple clips and append the filename to prevent overwriting the clips.
That’s really about all there is to it. It’s a lot simpler than it sounds and it should make sense as soon as you navigate the options. However, I would highly recommend reading through the Media Management section of the Resolve Manual (Chapter 21, page 486) before completing anything mission critical, or doing some test runs first so you can make sure you select all the right options for your intended outcome.
Hopefully this fantastic tool will help you tame some of those cross platform workflow headaches, I know it has for me.
If you haven’t yet installed Resolve 12, download it for free from the support section of the Blackmagic Design website – https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/support/family/davinci-resolve-and-fusion

The Samsung NX1 is Samsung’s first photo camera to with video shooting functionality. It was announced in September and brings interesting video features like a 4K mode and is also the first camera to feature new H.265 compression that promises to offer more quality at smaller file sizes.